A 100 Word Story

Keith's Ramblings

Friday Fictioneers

 

pink-kangaroo.regular (1)

It’s back again. February. Every year it turns up around the same time. It’s peering at me through the window like a miserable grey demon.

It’s the middle of the day but it’s more like dusk. I can see the sea from here. It’s grey. Rising from the distant horizon the sky is grey, even the seagulls squawking overhead are grey. There’s a blanket of snow. Blankets are meant to keep you warm. Not this one. The only bit of colour I see is a lone daffodil bravely standing there to remind me that spring is waiting just around the corner.

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Thanks once again to Rochelle for hosting, and to Dale Rogerson for this week’s photo.

dale-rogerson-snow-photo

96 thoughts on “A 100 Word Story”

  1. rochellewisoff Feb 14, 2018 / 11:15

    Dear Keith

    Daffodils are easily confused, aren’t they? Lovely piece as the winter stretches and spring peeks over horizon.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 14, 2018 / 17:48

      They are Rochelle, some of mine are in flower and others not even in bud yet!

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  2. Varad Feb 14, 2018 / 11:17

    A nice ray of hope. Good one, Keith.

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  3. Denise Feb 14, 2018 / 11:45

    My daffodils are buried deep down under about two feet of snow. Have I mentioned that I hate winter?

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  4. Claire Fuller Feb 14, 2018 / 12:09

    I rather like February, but I know I’m pretty much on my own with this. Nice story.

    Liked by 2 people

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    • ceayr Feb 14, 2018 / 15:25

      I am also somewhat confused by the doom and gloom here, it’s just weather!

      Liked by 1 person

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      • Keith's Ramblings Feb 14, 2018 / 18:00

        I challenge you to go outside my door today CE! Never mind, I’ll be in Dubai next week. Yea!

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 14, 2018 / 18:03

      Probably Claire! I hate Tuesdays, and February is like 28 of them in a row, even worse in leap years!

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  8. Iain Kelly Feb 14, 2018 / 14:24

    A reflective piece Keith, that managed to catch my mood perfectly on another freezing cold day!

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. ceayr Feb 14, 2018 / 15:26

    This made me laugh long before I got to the daffodil.
    It’s winter, get over it!

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 14, 2018 / 18:18

      Haha! I bet you wouldn’t be laughing if you still lived in Scotland! Cheers mate.!

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      • ceayr Feb 14, 2018 / 19:05

        There is some truth in that, Keith, I don’t live here for the hot summers, but for the mild winters. Have a good trip.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Dale Feb 14, 2018 / 21:49

        Says the one living in the beautiful south of France…

        Liked by 1 person

  11. liz young Feb 14, 2018 / 15:37

    I get enough gloom about the weather from my OH, thank you! And I saw primroses in the verges at the weekend as well as daffodils.

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 14, 2018 / 18:20

      I’m only kidding, winter is wonderful (ahem!) I adore primroses, snowdrops too. Thanks Liz

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  12. Edith M. Field Feb 14, 2018 / 16:04

    I love the persistence of grey throughout the story and the sudden brightness of the daffodil. Wonderful!

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  14. Anna Rymer Feb 14, 2018 / 17:25

    Such wonderful woe – I love it! Even the font of the title is irksome and grey! I love it ‘…peering through the window like a miserable grey demon’. A very accurate observation of February, although I find it a vast improvement on January!

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  15. J. E. Kennedy Feb 14, 2018 / 18:05

    I love it when the daffodils start appearing. Don’t let February get you down 😉

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  16. Dale Feb 14, 2018 / 21:50

    February does seem like the longest month, doesn’t it? We’ve been… ahhh… “blessed” with mounds of snow this year. Ain’t gonna see no daffodil for MONTHS!

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 15, 2018 / 08:46

      It certainly does! I’m sure your daffodils are waiting just beneath the surface. I’m heading off to warmer climes next week and when I come back February will be but a memory!

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  18. Susan Feb 15, 2018 / 02:06

    I am always cheered by the first dash of yellow. It means hope of warmer weather is just around the corner. Well done

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 15, 2018 / 08:39

      Me too, and despite the lone daf in my piece, they have come out everywhere very early this year, and right now the sun is shining!

      Liked by 1 person

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      • Susan Feb 15, 2018 / 22:22

        75 at my house but 40’s tomorrow. It’s like playing pong with the weather

        Liked by 1 person

  20. Akshata Ram Feb 15, 2018 / 07:04

    The daffodil is a ray of hope, lovely one Keith. Liked your elaborate descriptions

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  21. subroto Feb 15, 2018 / 08:04

    Winter? It’s a hot summer right now. Oh wait it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At this moment snow sounds pretty good. A nice and reflective piece.

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 15, 2018 / 08:35

      It’s definitely winter time here although we haven’t actually had snow down here on the coast for many a year! Thanks Subroto

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  23. Vivian Zems Feb 15, 2018 / 12:51

    That lone Daffodil is to stop thoughts of gloom. A glimmer of hope. Please bring some sunshine back from Dubai!

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      • Vivian Zems Feb 15, 2018 / 15:22

        Oooh, I’m so jealous! My daughter just got back from there. Have fun!

        Liked by 1 person

      • Keith's Ramblings Feb 15, 2018 / 23:00

        I can’t wait Vivian – international tennis, a night at the opera and a Duran Duran concert to look forward to!

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  24. Rowena Feb 15, 2018 / 13:41

    Being in Australia, I could shovel some of that snow and throw it into my car when I pick the kids up from school. It would be instant puddles. It’s been so hot.
    I love the image of this lone daffodil rising out of the snow. Do daffodils flower in the snow like this? No snow around my way. Only blue skies and a fuming sun.
    Best wishes,
    Rowena

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 15, 2018 / 13:47

      Early flowering ones do Rowena. Right now all I see from my window is blue sky, but although the sun is smiling at me, it can’t be described as fuming!

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      • Rowena Feb 16, 2018 / 14:19

        Do you have blue sky with snow outside? I love that. I’ve experienced that out skiing and it’s just glorious.

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  25. Sandra Feb 15, 2018 / 14:06

    At least the days are getting longer. Unlike November, which is my un-favourite.

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  26. Lynn Love Feb 15, 2018 / 14:10

    What a lovely ode to long, grey winters … and hope lifting with just the hint of sunshine that a daffodil can bring. Very atmospheric writing

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 15, 2018 / 20:51

      Norma, thanks so much for your kind words. Daffodils are very special, aren’t they?

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  28. Alice Audrey Feb 15, 2018 / 15:17

    That’s the tail end of Winter for you. Cold, and gray with just the bare promise of an ending.

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  29. larry trasciatti Feb 15, 2018 / 18:07

    That one daffodil always keeps me hanging on. There are only 34 days to go until it’s officially over

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  32. Jan Vanek Feb 16, 2018 / 02:34

    Gray, gray, gray and then . . . that lovely yellow. It’s one of the things I miss most about no snow in Dallas–seeing the spring bulbs pop up. And so, I enjoyed your story very much!

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 16, 2018 / 08:30

      They are just beginning to appear, so spring must be just around the corner! Thanks so much Jan

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  33. draliman Feb 16, 2018 / 07:01

    I love the brave little daffodil, standing tall with its promise of warmer days to come 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

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  34. Moon Feb 16, 2018 / 10:35

    Beautifully poetic!
    My short acquaintance with Daffodils is confined to the famous Wordsworth poem. Really like your image of the lone Daffodil and how it is symbolic of bright hope.

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 16, 2018 / 10:49

      My little daf is not exactly a host, but I’m sure others will join it soon! Thanks, moon.

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  35. Christine Goodnough Feb 17, 2018 / 01:01

    Enjoyed your little “ray of hope” daffodil, Keith. At -25C we have to contend with cats attracted to the door by the sun in windows, then coming to a dead stop on the thresh-hold and wanting to stand there in the open door to see if the weather warms up any. ☹

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  36. mjlstories Feb 17, 2018 / 11:10

    Shortest month, feels like the longest. Poor old February. But yes there are a few of those daffodils and if those don’t work there might be some left-over Valentine’s chocolates half-price at Tesco Express. I enjoyed your exaggerated gloom – very cheering!
    PS It has been comment mayhem in WordPress World this week. Did you leave me a comment by any chance? I approved a comment which went off into the ether, never to be seen again even by the Akismet Techies.

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 17, 2018 / 12:58

      When I went to Tescos yesterday there were a few leftover chocolates and lots of wilting red roses! I did leave a comment and it disappeared. I’ve just tried again!

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      • mjlstories Feb 17, 2018 / 13:10

        Weirdly I lost the comment I left here too – then it reappeared. All’s well that etc etc

        Liked by 1 person

  37. Fatima Fakier Feb 17, 2018 / 11:58

    I’m reading this while the sun burns brightly outside in 30 degree summer. I’m looking for a little cool weather! 🙂 Really good writing here, Keith. Blankets of snow didn’t keep your MC warm, was a nice touch. Lovely ray of hope at the end too.

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  39. Tina Sequeira Feb 18, 2018 / 03:14

    Pretty interesting …the narrative and the metaphor to the grey demon. Love it! A great read as always 🙂 Looking forward to your next!

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    • Keith's Ramblings Feb 18, 2018 / 16:12

      That’s very kind of you Tina.I’ll be absent from the next 2 FriFics as I am jetting off to the sunshine for some R&R!

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  40. Dawn M. Miller Feb 18, 2018 / 20:11

    Art imitating life here. Last night we had a few inches of snow, the temps rose and it’s gone now by afternoon. Just now someone posted a picture of a daffodil. Hope springs eternal.

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  41. Sarah Ann Feb 19, 2018 / 20:11

    Beautifully done – the cold blanket effect, and feelings of claustrophobia. The splash of daffodil yellow is indeed a welcome and warming sight.

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